Thefts and robberies targeting freight transport in Italy surged in 2023. According to TT Club data, reports of such crimes last year were four times higher than two years earlier, pointing to increasingly organised groups targeting high-value goods. Food and beverages were the most commonly stolen items, followed by luxury clothing and pharmaceuticals, the latter resold on parallel European markets.
The threat map converges on Lombardy. The Milan area, crossed by motorways A1, A4, A50 and A64, is home to the densest cluster of warehouses and the most violent attacks, often involving roadblocks staged by gangs using stolen vehicles and scattering spike strips to delay emergency response. It is no surprise that this region records the highest number of truck hijackings and depot raids, often facilitated by inside accomplices and fake police patrols.
A structural issue lies in the mandatory rest periods for heavy goods vehicles. Statistics show that nearly a third of thefts (31%) occur when trucks are parked along roadsides or in industrial areas, in a context where there is only one TAPA-certified site across the entire country and just one secure parking spot for every 289 trucks in circulation. The legal requirement to stop for 45 minutes every four and a half hours creates predictable downtime—an ideal opportunity for criminals.
Adding to the infrastructure gap is the technological shift in criminal tactics, with light drones under 250 grams being used to avoid registration requirements. These aircraft fly over logistics hubs and airports to map entrances, cameras and containers, prompting some logistics providers to adopt RF detection systems and selective jamming. The report also highlights a rise in incidents involving document fraud.
Impostor hauliers present flawless delivery notes, build a credible reputation through smaller, legitimate shipments, and then vanish with high-value loads, exploiting email domains and bank details altered by a single character. At the same time, the Camorra continues to play a coordinating role, using front companies in road haulage to infiltrate supply chains, launder profits and recruit drivers willing to share inside information.
Experts identify three priorities for countermeasures. First, strengthening the network of certified parking areas along Ten-T corridors by tapping into EU funds, which reward SSTPA standards and TAPA requirements, as well as engaging more constructively with communities often resistant to new parking facilities. Second, enhancing due diligence, with immediate IT blocks triggered by suspicious changes in carrier data, checks against official registers, and rejection of overly attractive offers. Third, deploying onboard technology and smart sensors—electronic seals, anti-jammer trackers, RF radar—paired with training programmes to help drivers and staff identify fake patrols, road spikes and suspicious emails.
The report ends with a warning: without a major step forward in both physical and digital security, Italy risks becoming the weak link in Europe’s logistics chain. Criminal organisations, the authors conclude, are as agile as the most dynamic start-ups; if they encounter no resistance in the form of secure parking, anti-fraud procedures and high-tech barriers, they will keep raising the stakes.
